What a way to start off summer…I now have an official 6x6 solve! Normally, there are cutoffs in the “big cube” events in order to get all five or three solves. For 4x4 and 5x5, you get two attempts to get under the cutoff in order to do all five solves. However, for 6x6 and 7x7, they are so big that you only have one attempt in order to do all three solves—all which count towards your mean (“average of 5” puzzles take the three middle times, but there are only three solves for these “big cubes”). Luckily, there was no cutoff at all—only a very forgiving time limit of eight minutes! 

The 6x6 and 7x7 are unique in that they are much more like “endurance” events. Regardless of how fast a person solves a 3x3 cube, I can guarantee that nobody can solve a 6x6 faster than AT LEAST 20 times that amount. Even the world’s best, like Max Park (3.13 second personal best in the 3x3), takes around a minute to solve a 6x6. It’s mentally difficult, and considering the sheer amount of turns (and ensuing hand cramps), probably quite taxing physically! Think of the difference between the two events as the difference between the 40 yard dash and a half marathon.  

While I had some issues with my cube popping or locking up, I’m surprised that I got a mean of 6:04 (a personal best, obviously). I’ll for sure be sub-6 average next time! For an event I don’t practice—and have never done more than two solves in a single sitting for—I think that this is a great starting point.